Shards of Hope

Starred review from April 13, 2015
Complex psychological changes are balanced by deep love in the outstanding 15th Psy-Changeling paranormal romance (after Shield of Winter), set at the end of the 21st century. This episode focuses on the Arrows, an organization of assassins with psychic abilities. The Arrows have been shaken by the recent fall of the Silence Protocol, which mandated training Psy children to be emotionless to help them control their powers; it worked, but also created sociopaths. Aden Kai, thought to be one of the weaker Arrows, has taken command and sworn to protect his Arrows and help them recover. Needing support, he reaches out to one
of his commanders, Zaira Neve, arguably the Arrow who needs the discipline
of Silence the most. Together, Aden and Zaira have to overcome assassination attempts and the growing pains of change—even as they confront a threat greater than their pasts and start to realize the romantic possibilities of their longtime friendship. The plot advances the overarching story while still maintaining a strong sense of intimacy and connection with the characters. The tension of an epic psychological thriller provides the framework for an unparalleled romantic adventure. Agent: Nephele Tempest, Knight Agency.

May 1, 2015
Aden Kai leads the powerful Arrow Squad into stewarding the Psy race's shift into emotional freedom, but as he convinces the only woman he wants to stand by his side, malevolent forces attempt to destabilize a fledgling coalition working to forge unity. After a century of forcibly suppressed emotions, a new era has dawned for the Psy. The Arrows, a fiercely trained Black Ops team who did the bidding of the fallen Psy Council, have been cut loose, and their de facto leader, Aden, is looking to position his squad of soldiers as guardians of what he sees as a more healthy existence for all Psy but especially the brutally trained Arrows, whose own emotions were so savagely squelched that it's no wonder they're ambivalent toward the new policies. Zaira Neve has been Aden's secret passion since they were children, long before he knew what passion was, but now that the door has opened for him to truly discover what it feels like to feel, he's determined to start with her. When the two are kidnapped by shadowy forces that seem intent on creating trouble among world leaders who are only just beginning to trust one another, Aden and Zaira must not only escape their dangerous captivity, but also start connecting dots and strengthening allies in order to aid the emerging collaborative leadership. Zaira knows they share a powerful bond and wants nothing more than to be Aden's mate, but she worries that her emotional instability will hinder him. However, as she and Aden attempt to create safe havens for the Arrow community, and especially the children, she realizes that beneath her troubling past exists a nurturing heart, and maybe that's enough to create a future full of love and hope. Singh's Psy-Changeling series remains among the best of the paranormal romance subgenre. Her alpha heroes and the women who claim them are sweepingly romantic and sizzlingly sensual, while the social and political tapestries she weaves are sophisticated, elaborate, and compelling. Clever, ambitious, sexy, and dynamic.

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